Of Demons and Roses
by Neko Maxwell
Summary: Yaoi: Kurama x Hiei. The two have a daughter and raise her in the human world. But there's a demon after them...
1. Like Every Other Day

Of Demons and Roses

Chapter 1: Like Every Other Day

The alarm went off, waking Nobara up from a dreamless sleep. She got out of bed, got dressed in her blue school uniform, then went to the bathroom and brushed her teeth and her long, dark red hair. It's a couple shades darker than her mother's, but not too dark. She tied it back into her usual low ponytail, letting two clumps, one on each side, loose. She tucked those behind her ear, so that she didn't look like a clone of her mother.

After her usual morning preparations, Nobara stared into the mirror. She stared as if she was unhappy with the red haired, odd-eyed teenager staring back at her.

"Something doesn't feel right," said Nobara to herself. "I mean, I know I've never fit in, even as a little girl. I just feel so different from everyone else. But I can't explain why. Kasan and Otosan say that I'm a normal teenage girl, but I..."

"Nobara!!!!" came a shout from downstairs interrupted Nobara's thought. "You better hurry! I don't know about you but I don't want to be late again!"

"Coming!" shouted Nobara as she ran out of the bathroom and into her room to grab her schoolbag. Then, she hurried downstairs.

"Good morning, Nobara!" said Kurama. "I don't want you to be late, so just eat this on your way out."

"No thank you Kasan. I'm not very hungry this morning," said Nobara solemnly. "Ready to go Niji?" Nobara asked her best friend who comes to walk with her to school every morning.

Nobara and Niji have been friends since they were little girls. Neither of them fit in, so they got along very well. Niji is Nobara's only friend, although Niji has been moving up in the social ladder. Nevertheless, she remains a good and loyal friend to Nobara. And Nobara wholeheartedly returns the favor, although sometimes she has trouble showing it. Niji understands this and doesn't seem to mind Nobara's trouble with her feelings.

"Ok well, you girls have a good day at school!" said Kurama to his daughter and her friend as they left the house.

"Bye Kasan! Bye Otosan!" Nobara said as she waved goodbye. Nobara could sense that Hiei was there, even though she didn't see him. She and Niji started their walk to school. 

"I like your mother, Nobara," said Niji, starting conversation.

Nobara smiled, "Me too!" She paused. "Does it bother you that both of my parents are male?" 

"Not at all. They're good, loving parents. And you love them back. That's all that really matters, doesn't it?" was Niji's response.

"Yeah, I guess you're right Niji," said Nobara, looking down to the ground.

"Lemmie guess, your next question will be 'Do my eyes creep you out?' Am I right?" asked Niji mockingly, flinging her short, light brown hair out of her purple eyes.

"Niji, I have one green eye and one black eye! Doesn't that bother you even the slightest bit?!"

Niji shook her head. "Not at all. Actually, it looks kinda cool with your dark red hair." She smiled. "Trust me!"

"I do. You're the only friend I have Niji. I guess I kinda have no choice," Nobara chuckled at her statement. Soon, both girls were giggling at the fact that they go through this same thing every morning, yet always arrive at school laughing and smiling. This morning was no different.

The two friends arrived at school just in time. And just like any other day, Niji listened to the teacher, took detailed notes, and blocked everything else out of her mind. Nobara, on the other hand, stared out the window, played with her hair or dozed off. Despite the fact that she never pays attention in class, she still gets away with either an A or a B in the course.

At the end of a mostly uneventful day at school, Nobara and Niji started their walk home.

"How can you get grades like those and not do anything!?" exclaimed Niji. "I mean, you don't study, you spend very little time on your homework, you never pay attention in class... How?"

Nobara shrugged. "I don't know. I just...do. I can't explain it. It's almost like I can pick up information without paying full attention. Kinda like a sixth sense or something like that."

"You're defiantly an odd one, Nobara," said Niji jokingly.

"I prefer different. If you don't mind," Nobara replied in a sarcastic voice. Again, both girls found themselves giggling.

"Geez Nobara! There's not a person out there who can outsmart you!" said Niji through her laughter.

Nobara just kept laughing. She loved this feeling she got whenever she started laughing with Niji. It's almost as if she found where she belonged. It was a feeling Nobara always remembered whenever she was alone.

"I'll see you tomorrow Niji," said Nobara as they approached her house.

"Ok, see you then! And try not to make us late again!" said Niji with a smile on her face.

"I'll try!" Nobara said as she walked in the door of her house as Niji walked on to her house not far away.


	2. Nobara’s Past and Present

Of Demons and Roses

Chapter 2: Nobara's Past and Present

"Kasan! Otosan! I'm home!" said Nobara as she walked in the door.

"Welcome home Nobara! Did you have a good day at school?" said Kurama, coming up to greet her.

"It was just like any other day. Nothing special," Nobara answered in a distant tone. Just as she said that, a chill ran down her spine. Nobara felt the same feeling that she had felt that morning; like someone was watching her.

Nobara was always able to sense when someone was coming before she could see who it was. Sometimes, she could even guess who it was! This mostly happened with either her parents or Yusuke. Nobara always laughed at that one memory of when she was a little girl...

_Nobara was about 6 years old at the time. She was sitting in the middle of a closed room, having tea with Hiei and her stuffed animals. She had her hair tired up in two high pigtails. All of a sudden, she stopped and looked up. There was no sudden sound or anything like that. Hiei knew what it was, but just stared blankly downwards. After a few moments of silence, Nobara turned to the door and said "Yuuske's coming." Just as she said that, Yuuske walked in the door._

"Yuuske Oni-chan!!" shouted Nobara in delight as she ran up to hug him. Yuuske and Nobara have always gotten along well, and she started calling him Oni-chan because she always felt like he was her big brother.

"Come have tea with us Oni-chan!" said Nobara, leading him to an empty spot at the little table.

"I guess I have no choice!" said Yuuske as he sat down.

Nobara smiled thinking about that. Somehow, she is able to remember more than the normal person can. To her, it was almost as if it happened yesterday. As if her life had only just recently begun.

"Something wrong Nobara?" Kurama asked in a motherly tone.

"No. I guess I'm just a little tired. I'm gonna go to my room," answered Nobara.

"Ok."

As soon as Nobara was out of sight, Hiei appeared from the shadows. He and Kurama could both sense that Nobara's demon characteristics were starting to show again. This happened when she was younger, but this time, it seems stronger.

"Kurama, you and I both know we can't hide the truth much longer," said Hiei, breaking the silence.

"I know that, Hiei. I just wanted our daughter to have a normal childhood," Kurama thought out loud.

"You feel it too, don't you Kurama?" asked Hiei in a serious tone.

"Yes," said Kurama under his breath. "I feel a great darkness. Anger. Hunger."

"Nobara feels it too. She tries to hide it, but I can sense it in her. I know you can too. Either we have to tell her that's she's a demon, or she'll figure it out on her own," Hiei said boldly.

"I know that, Hiei. The problem is that we don't know what her true demon form is. Is she a pure youko, a fire demon, or a mix? But I guess we won't know that until she changes herself into her full demon form," Kurama said. 

"Kasan, can Niji sleep over tomorrow night?" Nobara asked as she came down the stairs in black pants and a white shirt.

"Sure Nobara! That's ok with me," said Kurama smiling, acting as if the previous conversation never took place.

"Arigato Kasan!" Nobara said as she hugged Kurama. She then went upstairs to tell give Niji the ok.

//She looks so much like him.// Hiei thought to himself. He pulled his usual stunt of disappearing into the shadows and then he had to smile.

//I'll protect them both. They are my family...my life.//


	3. The Best of Friends

Of Demons and Roses

Chapter 3: The Best of Friends

That Friday was just like any other day. Nobara and Niji were almost late again, another uneventful school day, they walked home together. However, the two friends had something to look forward to that afternoon. Nobara loved spending time with her best, and only, friend, Niji. She always made Nobara feel happy and accepted, the two feelings Nobara wish she had more of.

"Just come over whenever. No particular time," said Nobara to her friend as they went their separate ways.

"Alright! I'll be over in a few hours then," answered Niji, walking in the direction of her house as Nobara went into hers.

Kurama was fixing up the house in preparation for Niji's arrival when Nobara walked in.

"Welcome home Nobara! When is Niji coming?" said Kurama upon seeing his daughter.

"She'll be here in a few hours. I'll go set up the guest bed in my room," answered Nobara as she went up to her room.

When she got there, Nobara realized that it was a total mess! So, she started with organizing the chaos in her room, then proceeded to get the guest bed. Another thing that made Nobara different from everyone else was her unusual strength for a person her size. Nobara is a thin, medium height girl, yet she almost has the strength of a 6 foot tall boxer. And she never works out! Her parents know that it is just another one of her demon traits coming out.

Before the demon family knew it, evening came, along with Niji. Kurama answered the door.

"Hello Niji. Come on in," Kurama said in a welcoming tone. "I'll go get Nobara. Just make yourself at home."

"Thanks," said Niji to a departing Kurama. She put her stuff down and sat in a nearby chair. A minute later, Nobara came down the stairs.

"Hi Niji! I was just cleaning up my room. Come on up," said Nobara, picking up one of Niji's two bags. She lead her up the stairs and into her room, which was much less chaotic than before. Niji was shocked at the room's neatness.

"Wow Nobara! You were cleaning your room! I haven't seen it this neat in months!" Niji exclaimed.

"Thanks! I realized the bed wouldn't fit unless I cleaned the room, so I did!" responded Nobara. Niji set her stuff down next to her bed and sat down on it. An awkward silence entered the room as both girls went into deep thought.

Nobara thought about her best friend. She knew that both of her parents died in a car crash when Niji was only 5 years old. They had just met a few months before that. Niji is an only child, just like Nobara. Niji now lives with her aunt and uncle and their son, who is 18, two years older than Nobara and Niji. Niji is about two months older than Nobara and a little but shorter. Nobara realized that Niji looked at her parents and saw the family love she never had.

Niji also thought of her best friend. About how she's been acting weird this past week. Nobara and Niji talked about everything. But this time, Niji felt that Nobara was keeping something from her. Niji doesn't blame her, since it almost looked like even Nobara doesn't know what's going on with her. Niji has always been very understanding of Nobara, even if she didn't know all the details about what's going on. A knock on the door interrupted the girl's thoughts.

"Awful quiet in here! Usually I hear you talking and giggling," Kurama said jokingly as he opened the door.

Niji giggled, "I guess we're both a little tired."

Nobara tried to smile and nodded her head.

"If there's anything you need, help yourself. Ok?" 

"Sure. Thank you," said Niji politely. Kurama closed the door without saying anything about Nobara's current state. He could see that she was struggling within herself; her human form and her demon form. He knew that it is only a matter of time before he had to tell her, in order for her to control her demon self.

As he was walking away, he could hear voices and laughter coming from his daughter's room. Kurama smiled at the thought that at least Nobara could be happy and temporarily forget about her internal struggle.

"I like your mother, Nobara," said Niji.

Nobara smiled, "Me too."

"You know, when I look into your eyes, I can almost see him looking back at me on one eye, and you in the other. You look so much like him. It's cool, yet scary at the same time," Niji said as she looked into her friend's different colored eyes.

"I've never thought about it that way. I guess since one of my eyes is his color, it makes sense," Nobara said, smiling.

The girls stayed up late talking, like they always do at sleepovers. But, eventually, they went to sleep.

Niji had to leave early the next morning because she was going out with her family all weekend. They said their goodbyes and Niji was out the door.

"Nobara!" Niji called, "Remember: field trip Monday! You don't have to wear your uniform!"

"Thanks for the reminder! See you Monday!" Nobara called back. 

She had this odd feeling again. A chill went down her spine and she felt as if she was being watched. Nobara stepped outside to check to see if someone was out. She didn't see anyone at first, but then she saw a black figure standing a few feet from her. She tried to figure out how he got there without her noticing, but he spoke before she could think.

"Hello Nobara," the figure said. He didn't look human. It was almost as if he was a shadow.

Nobara took a step back, "How do you know my name?" she asked.

"I know a lot about you. I've been watching you for quite awhile my dear," he said.

"What?" said Nobara in shock. He was really creeping her out.

"You'll find out in time," he said as he disappeared into the shadows. Nobara stood there for a minute, staring at the spot where the mysterious man stood. 

"Nobara, did Niji leave?" called Kurama from inside.

"Yeah, I just wanted to get some fresh air," answered Nobara. After not being able to come up with a reason for this, she told herself that she hallucinated and went inside.

On the roof stood Hiei, who had just appeared there with no one noticing. He had a serious look on his face and almost appeared to be angry.

//He's back. I better keep an eye on him.// Hiei thought.

Throughout the entire weekend, Nobara kept seeing that same man's face wherever she went. She insisted that she was going crazy, so she never told anyone. But Sunday night, this feeling grew inside her. As if something was going to happen, but she wasn't quite sure what. An unexplained fear came over her, which just made her even more confused.

//What's going on? Who is this person following me? How does he know me? Does he know my parents? What am I afraid of? Why is this happening to me? What is happening to me??//

Nobara's thought wore her out, and she was soon asleep.


	4. Distant Eyes

Of Demons and Roses

Chapter 4: Distant Eyes

Nobara woke to her alarm on Monday morning. Nobara got up and went through her morning routine, just like she does every day. However, she felt more tired today than usual.

"Maybe it's just cause I was up late last night," Nobara said to herself, trying to find an excuse for her tiredness. She then ignored that feeling and went about her daily morning routine.

Nobara dressed herself in a pair of black pants with a white sash around her waist and a light blue tank top. Then, she brushed her hair and teeth and went downstairs. For some reason, Nobara was rushing this morning.

Just as Nobara arrived at the bottom of the steps and greeted her parents, Niji appeared at the door.

"This sure is a surprise! I won't have to wait on you this morning. Any special occasion?" said Niji jokingly.

"No," said Nobara giggling.

"Sayanara Kasan! Sayanara Otosan!" said Nobara as she walked out the door with Niji. Nobara was unusually quiet during their walk to school. Her silence greatly worried Niji.

"Nobara... Are you alright? You don't seem like yourself this morning," said Niji with concern for her friend.

Nobara kept a distant look in her eyes as she answered, "Yeah, I'm fine. I guess I got up too fast this morning." Then, the silence returned. Niji shrugged and decided that she would keep a close eye on Nobara for the remainder of the day.

As they walked on, Nobara sensed that someone was watching them. She jerked her head and saw a shadowed figure of a man watching her. The two just started at each other as Nobara walked on, remembering that it was the same man from that previous weekend.

//I must be going crazy! How can it be that same man?// Nobara thought to herself. She spent the rest of the walk trying to come up with a reasonable explanation for this mystery man following her. She also tried to explain why she could sense when he was near.

No reasonable explanation came to her mind, so her just dismissed the thought and kept walking.

Nobara and Niji got a school on time, for once. They waited in their classroom for school to start. Once school started, the teacher took attendance and they got on the bus and left for their field trip. Nobara and Niji sat together on the bus. Nobara hadn't changed since that morning. She still seemed distant, quiet and deep in thought to Niji. She just sat there and stared out the window.

"Nobara...?" said Niji with worry in her voice. Nobara turned and looked at her friend without saying anything.

"Nobara, are you sure you're alright? Your eyes have a distant look in them, you've hardly said anything all morning..."

Nobara smiled and nodded her head, "I'm fine, Niji. Really!" Nobara couldn't fool Niji, but she went along with the act anyway.

Continuing to stare out the window, Nobara thought she saw the shadowed man again. She shook her head and closed her eyes, as a way to get them to refocus. Niji jerked her head in Nobara's direction because of the sudden movement. Both girls had a look of surprise and worry in their eyes. After staring at each other for several moments, they both started laughing. Both of the friends thought of their worry to be only in their heads and laughed at that. Nobara seemed to be back to normal, much to Niji's joy.

The two friends them acted like they would any other times. They started talking about nothing, giggling, joking. Neither of them suspected what was about to happen...

The bus came onto a mountain roadway. Looking out the window of the right side, there seemed to be no bottom. On the left side, where Niji and Nobara sat, there was the other direction for the road. As they were talking, Nobara glanced out the window out of habit. Again, she saw the shadowed man.

//Impossible! How could it be the same guy?! But, it feels like the same person. What the hell's going on?!//

Just as the shadowed man once again disappeared from sight, the bus skidded and the driver lost control. Happy faces turned into frightened ones. Laughter turned into screams. The cheerful atmosphere turned into a panicked one. Nobara felt some kind of force pushing the bus over the edge.

"Hold on tight!!! We're going over!!!!" yelled the driver into a bus full of screams and yells.

The bus skidded off the road and started rolling into the seemingly endless cliff. Inside the bus, it was chaos. Windows were breaking from hitting trees, rocks and numerous other things. 

Among the screams, yells and other noises, Nobara and Niji held on to the seat in front of them, trying to stay in one place. Nobara saw Niji start to slip and grabbed her arm to prevent that. Niji looked at Nobara in thanks and Nobara smiled. Just as that happened, Niji saw a huge black mass come toward their window through the locks of her light brown and Nobara's dark red hair. As it came closer, Niji recognized it as a giant rock, and it was about to hit Nobara in the back. Niji wasn't about to let that happen.

Niji grabbed Nobara's arm and thrust herself forward, so that she would be next to the window. Nobara was confused at first, then she saw the oncoming rock. Her eyes widened in terror as she started falling away from her best friend. 

"NIJI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Nobara yelled as she fell back. She then grabbed the end of the neighboring seat to hold herself steady. By that time, it was too late to do anything for Niji. The window had shattered and Niji was knocked unconscious. She started falling towards Nobara as she watched in horror.

"NIJI!!!!!!!!" yell Nobara again. She reached out and grabbed her best friend as the bus hit a dead end. Niji fell into Nobara's lap as the once hectic bus became silent.

The shadowed man stood on the road, watching the fallen bus. He smiled an evil smile.

"I'll be waiting for you my little demon," he said as he disappeared into the shadows. 


	5. Nobara’s Tears

Of Demons and Roses

Chapter 5: Nobara's Tears

Nobara lay unconscious in the silence and stillness. Her unconscious friend on top of her. Nobara after many long minutes, Nobara twitched and woke up. She stayed still for a few minutes to let the little strength she had left gather to lift herself up. She sat up and looked around. She was the only one up. Everyone else was spread throughout the bus, and some outside! It was a gruesome scene.

Nobara stared in shock at her late classmates. She could sense that they were all dead, including the driver. Niji wasn't dead yet, but she was knocking on death's door. Nobara decided to try to get Niji to the top of the cliff to get her help. She struggled to flip herself onto her stomach so she could crawl through the mess of bodies. She put Niji on her back and fought her way out the widow.

Once at the window, Nobara got a piece of string from her pocket to tie Niji's hands together so she wouldn't slip while climbing up. Then, Nobara made her way slowly up the cliff.

It must have been hours before she reached the top. When Nobara reached flat ground, she set Niji down of her back and untied the string. Nobara check to see if she was still breaching by putting her hand over Niji's mouth.

"Still breathing," Nobara said to herself. "Hold on, Niji."

Exhausted, Nobara sat down and took a rest. Niji was very badly wounded. In the middle of her chest was the wound from the rock that she saved Nobara from. Tears came to Nobara's eyes at the sight of her best friend. Nobara flopped down on her back and closed her eyes. She had completely run out of energy.

"No.. Nobara..." came a faint voice.

Nobara's eyes shot open, and she sat up as quick as lightening. She looked over to find Niji's eyes open.

"Niji!" Nobara crawled over and sat next to her dying friend. Niji breathed very heavily, as if gasping for air.

"Niji! It's gonna be alright! You're gonna be okay!" Nobara said hopelessly with tears in her eyes. Niji just smiled through her tears.

"Here..." said lifting her hand up, showing Nobara a beautiful silver ring with a rose on it.

"Niji, your ring! I can't take that!" said Nobara in shock.

"Take it... I want to have it... Nobara..." Niji said through tears.

Nobara reached out her hand and slid the ring on Niji's finger. She then put in on her own, just to let Niji see her put it on. Niji just kept smiling through her tears.

"I'm gonna miss you Niji," there was no hope in Nobara's voice. Both friends knew that Niji was going to die.

"I'll be watching you... my friend... my... best friend... Nobara..." Those were Niji's last words. Nobara broke into uncontrollable tears as she fell onto her dead friend. 

"Niji..." she whispered through her sobbing. After several minutes of uncontrollable crying, Nobara sat up and wiped the tears from her face. Suddenly, she sensed someone. Too weak to stand, Nobara just looked in the direction of where she was sensing.

What she was sensing was her father, Hiei. Hiei appeared in front of his daughter and stared down at her.

"Otosan... What are you doing here?" asked Nobara in shock.

"I felt something. I needed to come check it out," said Hiei.

"Otosan... Niji... she's..." said Nobara sobbing as she clutched Hiei's leg. Hiei put on a look of pity and sorrow as he bent down to hug his daughter. Hiei said nothing. He decided to leave the semimetal talk for Kurama.

"How touching. Father and daughter," came a voice from the shadows. Hiei stood up in a protective manor as Nobara stared in the direction where she sensed the shadow man. In she line of vision, a tall black shadowed figure stepped out of the darkness.

"Hello Nobara. Did you enjoy my present?" he said in a cruel manor. Nobara just looked at Niji as tears came to her eyes again.

"And Hiei, how have you been? It's been so long since we've crossed paths," he said to Hiei. Hiei just got angrier and angrier with every word he said.

"Otosan, you know him?" asked Nobara. The shadow just stood there, staring at them with an evil smile on his face.

"Yes he does my dear. Oh my how rue of me," he said in a mocking tone. "My name is Kokuei and your father killed my son. I'm back for my revenge."

Hiei was ready to draw his sword, "You hurt her, you die." Nobara's eyes widened.

"Oh my, catch on quick don't you? Well, I guess my plan's been discovered. I knew my little stunt wouldn't kill you, Nobara. You're not like the others." 

Nobara's face turned from surprise to shock. Hiei just stayed angry at his enemy.

"I've had enough," yelled Hiei as he went on the attack. Kokuei dogged it and disappeared into the shadows.

"We will meet again. You can count on that," he said from the shadows and retreated.

Hiei sheathed his sword and walked over to his daughter. Hiei knew that he wouldn't be able to hide this from Nobara forever. He just wished that she wouldn't have to find out like this.

"You need treatment. Your mother is waiting for us," Hiei said, picking up his daughter.

"But, Niji..." said Nobara in protest. Hiei paused for a moment, then kept walking. He then sped up when he heard the sound of cars and ambulance coming. He got Nobara home safely, where Kurama was waiting for them. 


	6. Secrets Revealed

Of Demons and Roses

Chapter 6: Secrets Revealed 

"Kasan..." Nobara said softly when she saw Kurama.

"It's ok Nobara," said Kurama. He proceeded to treat her wounds and gave her an herb that would give her strength back.

"Just rest Nobara," he said, putting his daughter into bed.

"Kasan..." Kurama turned to Nobara, "Kasan, what did Kokuei mean when he said that I'm different?"

"Get some rest, Nobara. I'll tell you later," answered Kurama.

Nobara fell asleep as soon as Kurama left the room. She was so exhausted from the events earlier that day that she couldn't help it, however, she did cry herself to sleep. Deep inside her heart, Nobara felt that Niji's death could have been prevented. It was as if she felt that it was her fault in a way.

The bus crash and Niji's death haunted Nobara's dreams. She woke herself up because it was too much for her. Tears filled her eyes as se began to cry into her hands. A few minutes later, Kurama walked in, sensing his daughters grief and pain. He sat down next to Nobara and took her into his arms and let her cry. At that moment, no words were needed. When they were, Kurama spoke.

"I'm not going to say that the pain will stop," said Kurama, "If I did, I'd be lying. And I'm finished lying to you, my daughter."

"Kasan, if you're finished lying, answer me this: Who am I? What am I?" Nobara asked as she sat up and looked Kurama in the eyes.

"You are who you think. That isn't a lie. You are my daughter. You are your father's daughter. However, you aren't what you think."

"That man said I'm different. Tell me Kasan, how am I different?"

Kurama took a deep breath. "You are not human, Nobara. Your father and I... we're demons. You are demon, too."

Nobara's eyes widened in surprise. Suddenly everything made sense. Her senses, her strength, her memory, all of it. The puzzle to Nobara's life has finally been completed. Kurama went on to explain about demon world and spirit world, how he and Hiei came to the human world, their past and numerous other stories.

"So all those kid stories of other worlds are true?" asked Nobara, more to herself than to Kurama. Kurama nodded his head. Nobara just sat in deep thought for a few minutes as an awkward silence entered the room. Kurama decided to leave Nobara alone with her thoughts and let all of what he said sink in. When he got to the doorway, he stopped and turned back to Nobara.

"I'm sorry we didn't tell you before," he said.

"It's okay," answered Nobara without think about what she said. Kurama left the room and closed the door behind him.

//So I'm a demon. It all makes sense now. In a way, I don't feel so lost anymore. I've been lost for so long. If only Niji were still here. Then I would be happy. I don't care if we aren't the same race. She's still my best friend, and she always will be. I hope she's happy in spirit world. Oh now I wish I could have saved her!//

Nobara's senses jumped, interrupting her thoughts. She turned to the open window, where Hiei stood. They just stared at each other for awhile. Ever since she was little, Nobara knew that her father didn't communicate with words that often. He hides his feeling a lot, much like Nobara sometimes does. They always know what each other is thinking just by looking in their eyes.

Nobara looked in Hiei's red eyes and saw sorrow and regret. Nobara felt that Hiei was feeling that the accident was, in a way, his fault. Like, he could have prevented it.

Hiei looked at his daughter's different colored eyes and saw a sea of sadness. He could tell that she was crying a lot. He knew that for a fact because he was sitting in the tree outside her window, keeping an eye on her. He saw that they were both feeling the same emotions.

Hiei walked over to his daughter and sat down next to her. Without saying a word, he took her into his arms and hugged her tightly, and in a protective manor. At that moment, he made a promise to himself that he would never let anything happen to his only daughter. Nobara looked up at her father and smiled. Hiei stroked her hair before he got up and went back to the window and disappeared.

Kurama came back awhile later to check on Nobara. She seemed better than before. 

Nobara turned to Kurama and said, "There's still one thing you didn't explain, Kasan!"

"What's that?" asked Kurama.

"Where did I come from?" Nobara asked in an almost teasing voice.

Kurama sat down next to Nobara.

"Well, my specialty is working with plants. I can use them to heal, kill, and do almost anything. Even to bring life. Instead of growing inside me, like you normally would, you grew inside a rose plant. However, you still got some traits from myself and Hiei," explained Kurama.

"Oh I get it now! So the plant was almost like your womb?"

Kurama blushed, "Yeah..."

"So I developed in a rose plant! There's a headline for ya!" said Nobara.

Kurama giggled a bit, "That is one place where your name came from."

Nobara looked at Kurama. "Eh? What does my name mean anyway?"

"It means wild rose. Actually, Hiei chose that name for you. I guess partially because you developed in one and also because roses are my specialty."

"Or that roses remind him of you, Kasan!" Kurama blushed when Nobara said that. "I mean, your hair is red like a rose, and we have roses all over the house!" Nobara giggled at the sight of her mother blushing.

"Ok Nobara, time for bed. You didn't sleep much," said Kurama, changing the subject.

"Ok Kasan," said Nobara mockingly. Kurama kissed Nobara goodnight on her forehead, turned out the light, and left, closing the door behind him.

Nobara turned to the window. "Goodnight Otosan," said to Hiei in the tree.

****

Author's notes: 

1. I wanted Kurama's explanation to sound kinda like the "where to babies come from" talk that parents give to their 7 year old. Just having a lil fun with that!! ^_^ 

2. I couldn't resist putting an "Eh?" in this!! ^_^

3. This chapter is a bit longer than the others. There's just a lot to explain!!


	7. Training Time!

Of Demons and Roses

Chapter 7: Training Time!

Nobara woke refreshed the next morning from a good night's sleep. Because of the accident, school was closed for the rest of the week. The wake was scheduled for the next afternoon. Even though Nobara still felt sadness in her, she felt better after talking with Kurama.

"Good morning Kasan!" said Nobara to Kurama.

"Good morning! Oh, your father wants to talk to you after breakfast. He's out in the front," replied Kurama. Nobara nodded her head and ate what her mother made. Then, she went out the door to find Hiei.

Nobara sensed Hiei on the roof. She scanned it with her eyes and found her father. He then came out from the direction that she was looking and approached her.

"Do you want to get stronger?" he asked.

Nobara knew what he meant. Last night, she thought about how if she were stronger, she could have saved Niji.

"Yes," said Nobara nodding her head.

"Then come with me. We start right away," replied Hiei as he turned and started walking towards the woods near their house. Nobara smiled and followed her father.

When they got fairly deep into the woods, Hiei stopped. Nobara stopped too. In front of them were two weapons: the sword that belonged to Hiei, and another weapon that Nobara had never seen before. It was a staff that was dark gray and had blades on each end.

Hiei walked over to the weapons, picked up his sword and put it on his belt, where he usually carried it. Then, he picked up the staff and gave it to Nobara.

"This is yours," he said. "I'll teach you to use it."

Holding her hew staff, Nobara studied it's features. It was shorter than herself. It wasn't very heavy and it had a strap on it. That strap was to carry it on a person's back. The blades aren't that long, but they are very pointy. This is, without a doubt, a lethal weapon. Most parents wouldn't want their children holding a weapon like that, let along fight with it. But, Kurama and Hiei trusted their daughter with it. Hiei, however, wanted to be the one to train Nobara.

"This staff has been dipped in thick armor. It is very hard to break, but still fairly light. The blades on each end are sharpened to perfection. This weapon guarantees victory in battle," Hiei explained as Nobara look at her weapon. 

Hiei showed Nobara how to hold it and carry it on her back. After that, he showed her how to quickly take it off her back without cutting herself. Nobara got a few cuts, but soon caught on.

The next day was the wake. Rain fell from that sky, making the day even sadder. Nobara decided that she was going to leave her hair down. She dressed herself in a black dress that belonged to Niji and left. The wake took place at the school. The classmates that weren't on the bus. Nobara was the only survivor of that accident. She went to every shrine for every persona and paid her respects. She went to Niji's last.

"Niji," said Nobara, "I'm so sorry I couldn't save you. If only I was stronger!" Nobara punched the floor and tears came to her eyes. 

"I hope you're happy in spirit world. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if you weren't. I don't know if I can forgive myself now. For what I let happen. If only I could have prevented it... Niji, my best friend, I miss you so much! But I guess what happens, happens. I just wish it didn't!" Nobara bowed her head and got up to leave.

On her walk home, she ran into someone she didn't want to. Kokuei stood, staring at her from the shadows. Nobara knew he was there, but tried to ignore him.

"You mad at me?" he asked mockingly. Nobara just kept walking, but he followed.

"You can't ignore me forever Nobara! I will come to take your life, and your parents too!" Nobara clenched her fist in anger. She stopped and turned to Kokuei.

"Listen up Kokuei! I'm gonna train and get stronger! I'm gonna get stronger to I can kill you! You'll pay for what you did!" Nobara yelled angrily. Without waiting to hear his reply, Nobara ran home.

Kokuei stood alone in the rain, watching the red-haired demon run off. He smiled.

"I'll take that as a challenge. I'll be back when you're stronger!" He laughed evilly as he disappeared into the shadows. 

As the days went by, Nobara learned many fighting techniques. She got stronger every time as picked up her staff. After learning the basics, Hiei taught his daughter to move quickly, jump high, keep balance and many other things. Demons usually have learned these things by then, and it takes awhile to master. However, Nobara is a quick study. She had these moves mastered in 2 weeks.

Then, training got harder. This was the time when Kurama stepped in and helped with Nobara's training. This was the first time Nobara had ever seen Kurama's rose whip. She was fascinated with it. Both Kurama and Hiei gave Nobara tips and strategies for fighting. This went on for another week.

The hardest part of Nobara's training has finally arrived. Nobara was going to face off against Hiei in a practice fight. They were almost equally matched in spirit energy, which Kurama educated Nobara about, and their fighting styles are very similar. But Nobara had developed a special trick on her own. He could use her staff as a bow, making a string with her spirit energy, and make spirit arrows. Her aim is dead-on-accurate, so there was no escape from her arrows. She would have to tone down her arrows in order to not hurt Hiei, but Hiei was ready for them.


	8. Fight!

Of Demons and Roses

Chapter 8: Fight!

****

Slight language warning!!! Just fyi!!

Nobara and Hiei stood staring at each other, both ready to fight. Nobara had come a long way in only a short time. Kurama and Hiei were very proud of their daughter. She learned tricks and tips from both of her parents, and even developed a few tricks of her own.

Nobara felt as if she was ready to take on her strong father. She could feel the difference in her spirit energy from when she started to now. It has greatly increased. However, in all her training, she was never able to beat Hiei. And, it was only two days ago that she was able to beat Kurama, which was not an easy fight. Nobara knew that Hiei would be an even tougher opponent.

The father daughter duo decided to use their weapons for the fight, which made it even more dangerous, for both of them. Nobara had tied her hair in a higher ponytail to keep it out of her way. Kurama was going to act as the referee for the match.

"Ready?" Kurama asked each fighter. They both nodded, with the same expression on their faces.

"FIGHT!" yell Kurama and jumped back to avoid the two on coming bodies.

Both of them decided to go on the offence. They moved so fast that a normal person would barely be able to see them. However, Kurama watched every move carefully.

For the most part, the fight was mostly a clash of a sword and a staff. Hiei kept it close range so Nobara couldn't shoot her arrows. Nobara knew this. She stayed on the offence, hoping that Hiei would eventually turn to the defense, giving her the advantage. Hiei's plan was to get Nobara on the defense, giving himself the advantage. The battle within this fight was to see who could last on the offence longer.

"It's amazing how much stronger Nobara has gotten. She is almost equally match with Hiei, in both strength and speed. This match is going to be close," said Kurama, thinking out loud.

Hiei and Nobara continued to fight, with neither of them showing any signs of backing down. They both had a look of determination in their eyes. Of corse, Hiei wanted to win the fight, but he had another goal in mind. He wanted to push Nobara to her limits, which is the only she could get stronger. But there is a second reason...

Neither Kurama nor Hiei knew what Nobara's true demon form is like. Would she be more like Kurama or more like Hiei? The only way her true demon side would emerge is if she was pushed to her limits, and she used her full power. So, to find this out, Hiei moved gradually faster and used slightly more power as their duel progressed. However, their fight would be rudely interrupted before Hiei could accomplish his goal...

Without warning, the space where Kurama stood suddenly got darker. Nobara felt her sensed jump and stopped fighting. She landed on a branch of a nearby tree. Hiei knew what was going on because he sensed something too. Kurama also felt something, and knew it was after him. He saw the darkness approaching and jumped to free himself from it. Hiei and Nobara saw the darkness, and all three knew what it was.

"Nice block pretty boy," came a voice from the darkness. Kokuei appeared in that spot.

"Nobara, you've improved. I'm impressed. I thought I'd have to wait much longer!" he said. 

Nobara became angry at the mere sight of Kokuei. Every time she saw him, she thought of that tragic day when she lost her best friend. The fact that it all caused by him was something Nobara could never forgive.

"So what's that to you?!" Nobara snapped back. Kurama was shocked because he had never seen his daughter so angry before.

"Oh not much," he replied mockingly, "Only that you could get revenge for what I did to your friend."

Nobara clenched her fist and it shook with rage. She jumped down from the tree, leaving her father's side, to look her enemy straight in the eye. He still carried that evil, teasing smile on his face. Kokuei could see the rage in the demon girl's eyes, which only made him more cocky.

"But not now. The time isn't right," he said.

"What the hell do you mean by that? Then why the hell did you show up?! Tell be, you bastard!!!" yelled Nobara in a fury. By now, even Hiei was shocked at her rage. Kokuei just smiled.

"Relax, would you? You'll know when the time is right. Trust me," he said as he did his usual trick of disappearing.

"Trust you?! When hell freezes over!" Nobara said in the same mockery as Kokuei, only angrier.

Kurama and Hiei came down from their posts to be by their daughter. They both know that it takes a lot for Nobara to snap. But Kokuei did just the right things for that to happen!

"Kasan. Otosan. I'm gonna train by myself for awhile more. I'll be back late," Nobara said without even turning to look at her parents. By then, it was late afternoon.

"Ok Nobara. I leave something out for you in the kitchen then. Be careful," answered Kurama. Nobara walked into the darker, more dangerous part of the woods with her staff, as Kurama and Hiei headed for their house. Hiei was determined to look after his daughter with his jagon eye.

It was to be a melancholy evening for all three family members.


	9. Playing Mom, Playing Dad

Of Demons and Roses

Chapter 9: Playing Mom, Playing Dad

Night had come and almost gone. It was now the early hours of the morning, with sunrise not far away. Nobara was still out training. Hiei was still of the roof keeping an eye on her. Kurama was inside playing wife, trying to keep his mind off of what he knew was coming. He knew that his daughter was going to face off against Kokuei. Kurama has confidence in Nobara, but he still couldn't help but worry. After all, Nobara is still his daughter! 

//Here I go playing mom again! Heh, I guess I can't help it. I know Hiei's worried too. He just has his own way of showing it. He's been on that rooftop ever since we got back. He is a good father! And a good husband!//

Kurama smiled at his thoughts. He trusts that their family will be fine. They will make it through this!

Hiei stood alone with his thoughts on the roof. He hadn't left his "post" since Nobara went off to train. Playing the watchful father has become one of Hiei's greatest talents. He doesn't show it a lot, but he cares greatly for his only daughter, and he would risk his life to protect her.

Nobara hadn't taken a single break since she went on her own. She did some target practice using rocks until there was none. Then she worked on improving her speed. After that, she practiced her skill with her staff until she had every trick, every move, everything perfect.

Then, Nobara worked on combinations of the skills she perfected earlier. She trained until she had every combination she could think of perfect. After hours of training, practicing and perfecting, Nobara finally took a rest break. She lay down in some grasses to collect and restore her spirit energy.

"Niji... I'll make sure you can rest in peace. I'll kill the one who killed you. I promise!" said Nobara to the now morning sky. She stared at the blue morning sky and seemed to be deep in thought. She thought of all her memories with her late friend.

Nobara's thoughts were interrupted by her senses. There was defiantly somebody coming. Nobara looked around, trying to pinpoint the exact position of the approaching person. This was a difficult task because it seemed that he was all around her.

"I know you're there! Why don't you come out of hiding?" Nobara yelled to the hidden person.

//Is it Kokuei? It's gotta be!//

Suddenly, the energy finally gathered in one place and Kokuei appeared from the shadows. This caught Hiei's attention and he started to run towards Nobara.

"Kurama! It's Kokuei! He's after Nobara again!" Hiei yell as he ran off. Kurama heard from inside and started to run too, not far behind Hiei.

"Ready to fight Kokuei?" asked Nobara in a fierce tone.

Kokuei said nothing. He lifted his finger and waved it in a "no" manor. He then opened his eyes and moved in towards Nobara. She almost lost sight of him as he circles around her.

//Damn! He's fast!//

He then moved in to Nobara from behind, covering her mouth so she couldn't speak and holding her down so she couldn't fight back.

//He's strong too! He was hiding his spirit energy when he appeared all those times before! I think I'm in trouble. Otosan... Kasan... where are you? I need your help!!!//

"Almost," whispered Kokuei into Nobara's ear. Then he lifted one arm and struck Nobara in the back of her neck, knocking her unconscious.

Kurama and Hiei arrived too late. Kokuei already made the first move. Kokuei saw Nobara's parents arrive and turned to them.

"Kokuei! Give her back!" yelled Hiei. Both he and Kurama were ready to fight.

"You'll get her back. Meet me at the old abonded warehouse at nightfall. We settle all this then," said Kokuei, acting as if he were playing a game.

"She better be alive Kokuei," said Kurama.

"Or you're death will be slow and painful," said Hiei.

"Oh she'll be fine. After all, she will be fighting as well," said Kokuei with laughter. He went off into the shadows with Nobara, leaving Kurama and Hiei without their daughter.


	10. The Battle Begins

Of Demons and Roses

Chapter 10: The Battle Begins

Kurama and Hiei spent the whole day training. Both of them were willing to risk anything and everything to get their daughter back. The events of that morning had shaken them both, especially Hiei. He felt as if he did not do a good job watching over and protecting his daughter. And he swore that he would kill Kokuei for what he's done.

In that middle of the day, they took a short break to re-gather their spirit energy.

"It's not your fault Hiei," said Kurama in a soft comforting tone. Hiei just stared at the sky. Kurama moved closer to his koi and wrapped his arms around him.

"We will get her back," he said to Hiei. Hiei leaned into Kurama's warn arms and wrapped his arms around Kurama. Kurama always had a way of making Hiei feel better, even in the worst of situations.

The day had gone by fast, and without any words from Nobara's concerned parents. Before anyone knew it, night started to slowly creep up on them. Kurama and Hiei gathered their weapons and Nobara's staff that she dropped and went on their way to the abandoned warehouse to meet Kokuei.

Kokuei was standing at the door, waiting for them when they arrived. He was the first to speak.

"So, you made it," he said.

"Where's Nobara?" asked Kurama with tension in his voice.

"You're very demanding Kurama. She's right up there," Kokuei said, pointing to a high tower. It looked as if it could fall apart any minute, and Nobara was still unconscious.

"Bastard! You better not have done anything to her!" said Hiei angrily when he saw where Nobara was.

"My my Hiei! You sound eager to fight. Would you like to be my first opponent?" said Kokuei, toying with Hiei. He knew anger clouds the mind, and it took a lot for Hiei to get angry. His plan was to make Hiei so mad that he would blindly attack him, giving Kokuei the advantage.

"No. Your opponent is me," interrupted Kurama before Hiei could answer.

"Kurama..." said Hiei. He paused while they looked each other in the eyes. "Very well. But, save the final blow for me." Kurama nodded.

Kurama had his own strategy. If he were to fight first, then Hiei would see Kokuei's attacks and patterns. Also, Kurama knew that Kokuei is hiding his true strength. Kurama wanted to weaken Kokuei so that Hiei would have a bigger advantage when he fought.

"Very well fox. If you want to die first, that's fine with me," said Kokuei. He knew that Kurama is wiser than Hiei, and obviously has something planned. He just didn't know what.

"This area is our ring. This is a fight to the death," said Kokuei. Kurama said nothing. "Let's begin!"

With that, Kokuei went on the defense and hid in the shadows. Kurama stood motionless, trying to pinpoint Kokuei's exact location. He felt Kokuei' spirit energy rise as he powered up in the shadows.

Suddenly, Kokuei sprang out behind Kurama and tried to hit him on the back. But Kurama jumped out of the way, avoiding it. He then got a glimpse of Kokuei's weapon as he landed on the roof. It was an axe. It was almost as long as his body and the blade was fairly large. 

"You avoided that well Kurama," said Kokuei.

Kokuei then took to the offensive, charging at Kurama with his axe. That began a series of motions so fast, it was hard for Kurama to read his movements. Kurama saw an opportunity and went on the offensive, landing a punch on Kokuei's face.

Meanwhile, up on the tower, Nobara began to stir and wake up. She felt a little dizzy at first, but found her focus quickly. She then sat up and thought about the last thing she remembered. She remembered being kidnapped. She remembered waking up in a place she'd never seen before. She remembered Kokuei telling her that her parents were going to die, right before she got knocked out again.

She looked over her shoulder and saw Kurama and Kokuei in the middle of a fight. She also saw Hiei watching, studying their moves. Then, she realized that she was on top of a tall, collapsing tower. Instead of panicking and destroying the tower, she stayed calm and sat still. Kokuei glanced up at her, then back at Kurama.

"It looks like your daughter is awake," he said. "This just makes things more interesting."

"How so?" asked Kurama. Both of them kept charging at each other.

"Now that she's awake, Nobara will be able to watch the death of her parents, starting with her pretty mother," as he said that, Kokuei landed his axe on Kurama's shoulder.

Blood came gushing out of his left shoulder as he retreated to put some distance between them. A cloud of dust covered the spot where Kurama landed, hiding him. Hiei's eyes widened in shock and Nobara's heart began to race.

"KASAN!!!!" yelled Nobara. She kept her eyes on Kurama, hoping he would be alright. The tower seemed like it was starting to break down. Kokuei had two targets, the tower and Kurama. He hit them both. Kurama noticed this and became really pissed off.

The cloud of dust lifted, revealing Kurama. He was standing, but he looked different. Instead of red hair, Kurama had silver hair and his green eyes turned to yellow ones. He also got fox ears and tail. The Kurama standing before Kokuei is Youko Kurama. 


	11. Youko

Of Demons and Roses

Chapter 11: Youko

Kurama's spirit energy had risen dramatically. He is able to change himself Youko when his spirit energy reaches a certain point. This usually happens when Kurama is greatly angered. He doesn't turn Youko often because it takes something really big to anger him like that.

Nobara was in awe of Kurama's new form. This is the first time she'd seen Kurama as a Youko. Hiei's worry had left him when he saw Kurama. He knew that Kurama would have the advantage now with his boost in spirit energy. Nobara could feel the rise in Kurama's spirit energy too.

"Well well, what do we have here?" Kokuei more said than asked. Kurama gazed at his opponent. He was about to say something, but his thought process was cut off by the sudden happenings to two events.

Kokuei sensed that the tower was about to break. So to keep Kurama distracted, he charged at him. At the same time, the tower was falling down. Knowing that Kurama was busy with Kokuei, and not wanting to distract Hiei, Nobara decided to ride a piece of the broken tower down to the ground. A few feet before hitting the ground, Nobara leapt off and landed on her feet, right next to her father. Hiei had his guard up, but wanted to see if Nobara could work her way out of that mess. He was proud she did.

Meanwhile, the battle between Kurama and Kokuei went on. Both of them were fighting at maximum strength and took to the offensive.

"Your daughter is very crafty. She takes after someone I know," said Kokuei with mockery in his voice. "She will be a fun opponent."

"Not if I kill you first," was Kurama's answer. There was a split second where Kokuei was distracted by Kurama's words. There came Kurama's advantage. 

Kurama took out his rose whip and used it to snatch Kokuei's axe out of his hand. It went flying out of reach, rendering it useless to Kokuei. Then, at such close range, Kurama used his long sharp nails to pierce Kokuei's skin. After that, he sent Kokuei flying with a hard punch to the stomach. All this happened within a matter of seconds.

Kokuei was down, but not out. He lay on his back in the spot where he landed for a couple minutes, trying to fool Kurama into dropping his guard. When he realized it didn't work, he got up. He was considerably weaker than before. Blood was dripping out of his mouth and he had many scrapes and bruises.

"You're better than I expected. I was wrong to underestimate you Kurama," Kokuei said as he wiped the blood from his mouth.

"Heh... you're smarter than I thought you were," replied Kurama.

"You're right on the money on that one fox," said Kokuei with an evil smile on his face.

Just as he finished speaking, he slipped into the shadows to hide himself. Only this time was different. Kokuei hid himself better than he ever did before. It was almost as if he disappeared. Kurama tried to find him, but couldn't sense his spirit energy. Neither could Hiei or Nobara.

Unexpectedly, Kokuei popped out of the shadows behind Kurama with extraordinary speed. Kurama had little time to move, and Kokuei stabbed him in the stomach area. Luckily, Kurama was able to move so the no vital organs were hit. Just as swiftly, Kokuei returned back into the shadows, leaving the injured Kurama standing alone again.


	12. Enraged Anger

Of Demons and Roses

Chapter 12: Enraged Anger

Kurama tried to focus on Kokuei's location, but his wound made it difficult. Kurama was able to stay on his feet, but his spirit energy had greatly decreased. He knew he couldn't last much longer in his demon form, so he had to act fast. Then, he got an idea.

Kurama seemed to drop his guard for a split second, letting Kokuei have the advantage. It forced Kokuei out of the shadows to attack Kurama. However, he was ready. Kurama knew that Kokuei would strike from behind when he dropped his guard. So, he fooled Kokuei into coming out of the shadows by making it seem like he dropped his guard.

Just as Kokuei was about to strike, Kurama landed a punch on his head and another on his stomach. This happened so fast that Nobara could barely keep up with it. However, the action wasn't over. Kokuei paused for a minute, then lashed out at Kurama. A series of rapid punches came from both of them.

Then, Kokuei was finally able to land a punch, right on Kurama's wound. That sent Kurama crashing down to the ground. At this point, Hiei couldn't take this anymore. As Kokuei was racing to the fallen Kurama, Hiei intercepted his path and brought him crashing down with a punch to the face. In the meantime, Nobara rushed to her fallen mother, who was no longer a Youko.

"Hiei, I'm surprised. I didn't think you would get so emotional about this," said Kokuei as he got up. His words just made Hiei even more angry than he already was.

"I had planned a painless death for your fox, but oh well," Kokuei continued to piss Hiei off. Big mistake.

Hiei lashed out at Kokuei in anger. He moves even faster than Kurama, making it even harder for Nobara to keep up. Hiei and Kokuei were evenly matched.

While they were busy fighting, Nobara stayed by Kurama's side. She took the jacket she was wearing off to try to clean off Kurama's bloodstained body. Then, she ripped off her left pant leg to wrap around her mother's open wound. The whole time, Kurama was fighting just to stay conscious.

"Kasan?" whispered Nobara when she was finished tending to Kurama's wounds. "You're gonna be alright Kasan! Just hold on!" Tears came to Nobara's eyes. 

"Nobara..." said Kurama as he lifted his hand to touch Nobara's face and wipe away her tears. "Don't worry Nobara!" Kurama smiled, making Nobara feel better.

They both turned to watch the fight, which had been oblivious to them. Kokuei and Hiei didn't seem to back down. Both of them enraged with anger that they didn't even plan out strategies. They just wanted to fight. And that's what they did.

"They are so consumed with anger that they can't even think straight," said Kurama. Nobara looked at him in shock.

"But... if they're not thinking straight, then they could do something careless and die!" answered Nobara, thinking out loud. Kurama closed his eyes and nodded solemnly. Nobara turned back and watched her father fight.

"Otosan..." she whispered.

Just then, Kokuei landed a hard punch on Hiei and forced him to take to the defensive. Nobara's eyes widened. Hiei got back up and the two started fighting again. They were both wasting energy and warring each other out. Kurama and Nobara could sense the spirit energy seeping out of both of them.

Nobara hated watching her parents fight a deadly battle like this. She had already seen her mother almost get killed, and now her father fighting a loosing battle. She knew that if Kokuei didn't kill him, his anger would. Nobara couldn't take it anymore. She stood up and started walking towards the raging battle.

"Nobara!!! Nobara, what are you doing?!" Kurama called to Nobara. She stopped, turned back to Kurama and smiled. Then, she walked on. Nobara was determined to settle this once and for all. 

"Well Hiei, it looks like your daughter wants to fight too," said Kokuei, turning his attention to Nobara. Hiei was stunned. 

"Nobara..." said Hiei. He knew it would come to this. He and Kurama both. But the time has come. Nobara had to start walking the path she was meant to. Her parents just wish it wouldn't be this hard.

"Otosan, let me fight him. I have to avenge Niji's death. That's the only way Niji can rest in peace and that my wounds will be truly healed. Niji died saving my life, and this is the only way I can think of to thank her for it. But it's more than that. This is the life I was meant to have. There's no way around that. I know you understand... Kasan, Otosan. I have to do this," said Nobara as she prepared to fight. She had picked up her staff from where Hiei left it.

"How touching my dear. But can you hold true to your words?" said Kokuei as he started to attack. Nobara didn't move. She was slowly raising her spirit energy to a level it had never been before. Kokuei used an attack he never did before. It was a ball formed out of spirit energy.

"Like it Nobara? It's my shadow bomb, and this will kill you," said Kokuei before he threw it at Nobara. "Say 'hi' to your friend for me!"

Nobara held her ground and watched it get bigger as it came closer. When it got close enough, Nobara struck out at it, causing a huge explosion. Hiei had moved over to Kurama to protect him from the explosion. Then there was a cloud of dust and no sign of Nobara. Tears came to Kurama's eyes and he fell into Hiei's arms. Hiei held Kurama as he stared at the spot where Nobara was standing. Kokuei was laughing evilly and in delight that he killed Hiei's daughter.

Out of nowhere, extraordinary spirit energy appeared. Kurama sensed it and looked up. As the dust rose, a figure appeared. The figure was holding Nobara's staff. However, this person didn't look like Nobara.

She had very light orange hair, fox ears and a fox tail a shade darker than her hair. Her hair had come out of it's pony tail and was loose. It is the same length has Nobara's usually red hair. She seems a little taller than Nobara. But, it was Nobara, because she has two different colored eyes. One of her eyes was red and the other was yellow, like Kurama's eyes when he is Youko. She had a death glare in her eyes, aimed right at Kokuei.

"Nobara... she's a Youko!" said Kurama in surprise. Hiei was too shocked to speak.

****

Author's notes: Nobara's short speech near the end is supposed to be like the song "Somewhere I Belong" by Linkin Park.


	13. Nobara vs Kokuei

Of Demons and Roses

Chapter 13: Nobara vs. Kokuei

"Well well. Another foxy eh? This makes thing so much more interesting... and more fun!" said Kokuei. Nobara just kept her death glare locked on her enemy.

Nobara was the first to strike. She moved so fast that Kokuei couldn't keep up with her movements. She came in and landed a hard punch on his face, which plummeted him into the ground. Hiei and Kurama watched their daughter fight in awe. Somehow, they weren't as worried as they were before. 

Kokuei got up, blood dripping from his mouth. He and Nobara looked each other in the eyes for a minute before returning to the fight. This time it was Kokuei who went on the attack. He had found his axe and was using it to strike a blow at Nobara. Nobara raised her staff and prepared for Kokuei's giant axe. Kokuei lifted his axe as he raced towards Nobara. He swung it at the fox demon standing before him, expecting it to slice her in half. But that's not what happened.

Nobara struck at the axe coming at her. A huge power struggle had begun. The two weapons remained clashed against each other for a few seemingly endless moments. Then, Nobara turned the tide by channeling her spirit energy through her staff to make it more powerful. This became too much for Kokuei's axe and it shattered. Large chunks went flying in different directions.

Before Kokuei could realize it, Nobara was charging right for him through the broken axe pieces. She swung her staff at the shadow demon. One of the staff's sharp ends went into Kokuei's right shoulder, rendering that arm useless. Nobara then put some distance between them, leaving Kokuei in shock. Blood trickled from Kokuei's open wound.

"Heh... I guess I underestimated you. But just because you won this round doesn't mean you've won. This is far from over," Kokuei said, getting angrier with every word.

Kokuei knew that he couldn't use his right arm much anymore. he also knew that at the moment, Nobara had the advantage. He didn't have his axe and his shadow bomb wouldn't be nearly as powerful with his left hand. But he knew his shadow bomb would be his best bet for now.

Kokuei lifted his left arm up into the air. He gathered his spirit energy there. Nobara caught on quickly to what he was doing. She had to think of a counter attack, and fast!

"I believe you recognize this, foxy," Kokuei said as the bomb began to form in his hand. That was when Nobara had an idea.

//I won't be able to outrun it. And I can't take a hit from it. What if I try to break it apart with one of my spirit arrows? Worth a try.//

Nobara held her staff in her left hand like an archer would a bow. She took an archery stance and formed an arrow with her spirit energy. Just as Kokuei released his shadow bomb, Nobara fired her arrow. The two raced towards each other.

When they hit, there was a huge explosion. The two forces had cancelled each other out in that explosion. It knocked both Nobara and Kokuei off their feet. Hiei held Kurama close to him in a protective manor. The explosion caused a blinding light and no one could see for a couple minutes.

Then it was over, there wasn't anybody standing. The first to stir was Kurama. This caused Hiei to stir as well. 

"Nobara..." whispered Kurama, looking for his daughter.

Hiei stood up and scanned the battle field. The warehouse was totally destroyed. All that was left was a huge pile of rubble. At one end, Kokuei emerged from a pile of rocks. And at the other Nobara pushed a rock off her leg. Hiei and Kurama let out a sigh of relief seeing that Nobara survived the blast.

Kokuei was able to get to his feet, but Nobara had some problems. A large rock had caused her left leg to be extremely weak. The best she could do was kneel.

"Well Nobara, it looks like we're even," said Kokuei. He looked as though he was about to charge at Nobara.

"Nobara! Let me fight him!" yell Hiei from the sidelines.

"NO! This is my fight!" yelled Nobara back, breathing heavily. Nobara knew that this was going to be the last strike. The one that would decide the victor.

Hiei didn't want to argue. He knew that there was no changing her mind. So, he went back to Kurama's side to see how this fight played out. Kurama took Hiei's hand. He was nervous again. Hiei just held Kurama's hand and didn't say anything.

"Fine by me," said Kokuei as he prepared to strike.

Nobara kneeled on her right leg, leaving her left outstretched. It hurt her to bend it too much, and it helped her keep her balance. She helped herself get to the position by using her staff as a balancing stick. She then took her archery pose.

Kokuei just smiled and started to charge. Nobara did something a little different than last time. Instead of forming just one arrow, she was able to form three equally powerful ones. She placed them on the string she made with her spirit energy and fired them. They hit Kokuei before he could get to Nobara.

He was shot back into the pile of rubble as the arrows exploded while inside his body. When the explosion died own, Kokuei was barely alive. Nobara used her staff to get herself standing up.

"Kokuei," she called to her dying enemy. He looked over to her. "There were three arrows for a reason. One was for my Kasan. One was for my Otosan. And the left was for Niji," she said as she limped over to Kokuei. "This fight is over!" 

As she said that, Nobara took her staff and drove it into Kokuei, ending the shadow demon's life. Hiei immediately rushed over to Nobara as she started to fall over, changing back into her normal form. he caught her before she hit the ground.

"Otosan..." said Nobara smiling. Kurama limped over to join the rest of the family. "Kasan..."

"Let's get those wounds healed Nobara," said Kurama. Nobara nodded her head and smiled some more.


	14. Healed and Unhealed Wounds

Of Demons and Roses

Chapter 14: Healed and Unhealed Wounds

Nobara woke in her bed to a bright sunny day. Her mother had used some herbs to heal her wounds. She was just sleeping to regain her energy. Not long after Nobara woke up, Kurama came in to check on her.

"Oh, you're awake. You've been sleeping for two days! How do you feel?" said Kurama, walking over to his daughter's side.

"Really? I guess I'm better," answered Nobara as she sat up with Kurama's help. Nobara noticed that Kurama's wounds were also healed. She sat in thought for a minute while Kurama cleaned up all his herbs.

"Kasan..." Nobara said, breaking the silence, "Can I go visit Niji later?"

"When you get all your strength back, yes," answered Kurama. "I'll go tell your father you're awake. You look like you need to talk with him," added Kurama, noticing the distant expression on Nobara's face. He kissed the top of his daughter's head and went out the door.

As soon as the door was shut, Nobara gathered her energy and stood up. She slowly walked over to her closet and picked out an outfit to wear. She got a pair of plain black pants and a black tank top with a gray rose pattern on it. To complete her outfit, Nobara got a long gray coat. After she got dressed, she sat down on her bed and rested. That's when Hiei arrived, knocking on the door.

"Come in Otosan," said Nobara to the closed door. Hiei opened the door and walked in, stopping next to Nobara. Nobara kept her gaze fixed on the floor.

"Nobara," Hiei started, "I'm proud of you for what you did." 

Nobara looked up at her father and smiled.

"Do you think this made Niji happy? Do you think she can rest now?" Nobara asked as tears formed in her eyes.

Hiei sat down and took his daughter in his arms. They sat without saying a word for a few minutes while Nobara's tears kept flowing. Hiei was the first to speak.

"Nobara, I'm not going to tell you that the pain will go away. Things like this cannot be forgotten, whether you live 50 years or 500 years. This is a wound that can't heal, an ailment that can't be cured. But, that's life. You must learn to take the good along with the bad. If there was only one, then there is no life," Hiei said, holding his weeping daughter in his arms.

Nobara sat up and looked her father straight in the eyes. Through her tears, she was able to smile a faint smile. Hiei wiped the tears from Nobara's different colored eyes.

"Arigato Otosan," said Nobara before she hugged her father. "I understand now." Nobara and Hiei couldn't help but smile at each other.

Later that afternoon, Nobara left her house to visit her late friend. Nobara stopped to buy some red and white roses for Niji. She darted to the graveyard with her impressive speed, but walked when she got to the gates. She asked the gatekeeper where Niji was buried, and he took her to the grave. She thanked him and he walked away.

Nobara stood alone in silence for awhile, staring at the tombstone. She put the flowers down in front of the stone and stared at it for a while longer. A light breeze lifted Nobara's low ponytail and waved it around gently.

"Niji..." Nobara whispered to the grave, "I'm sorry I couldn't save you. I wish I could go back in time and start all over," Nobara closed her eyes for a moment, trying to fight back tears. She took a breath and continued.

"But I can't. Things happen for a reason. Life isn't kind to anyone. And it certainly isn't fair. I know that Niji. All I can do for you is kill your killer. And I did. So Niji, my friend, I hope that will do. I'll never forget you, and I'll come back to visit often!" 

For some reason, Nobara started to smile. She tried to treat it like Niji was still alive. It gave Nobara some comfort. She said her goodbye and walked away. This visit almost made parting easier.

When Nobara reached the gate, she stopped and turned around, getting one last look at Niji's final resting place. The sun was starting to set. Nobara didn't realize she was gone that long! But, she decided to take her time getting home.

Nobara stopped at a park, where she and Niji used to play. Memories of their childhood came into her head. She closed her eyes and watched the movie of her childhood. When she opened them, she saw Kurama and Hiei standing before her. She couldn't help but smile. And it was contagious because Kurama and even Hiei smiled back.

"Let's go home Nobara," said Kurama. Nobara nodded. They started to walk back together, as a family.

"Otosan, we never finished our duel. Remember?" said Nobara said jokingly.

Hiei nodded his head. As soon as they were home, Nobara changed and she and Hiei resumed their duel. Kurama watched on as things seemed to turn back to normal. He had to smile, watching his husband and daughter tie.

"Round 2?" asked Hiei.

"You're on!" said Nobara.

"This may take awhile!" said Kurama in light laughter, as Nobara and Hiei went back to their duel.


End file.
